The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law designed to protect the online privacy of children under 13. For schools and libraries, complying with COPPA is essential—not only to meet legal obligations but also to safeguard the privacy and security of young users in today’s digital world. Understanding COPPA’s Basics COPPA requires websites and online services to secure verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or sharing personal information from children under 13. This includes names, addresses, email addresses, and persistent identifiers (e.g., cookies). The law applies to any service targeting children or knowingly collecting their data. Key…

Spencer Hospital CEO Brenda Tiefenthaler (second from left) vows to maintain the facility’s mental health services, with help from behavioral health services director Kerri Dandy (left), nursing director Jen Dau (third from left) and outreach navigator Jill Barr. Tony Leys/KFF Health News hide caption toggle caption Tony Leys/KFF Health News SPENCER, Iowa — This town’s hospital is a holdout on behalf of people going through mental health crises. The facility’s leaders have pledged not to shutter their inpatient psychiatric unit, as dozens of other U.S. hospitals have. Keeping that promise could soon get tougher if Congress slashes Medicaid funding. The…

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least half of American adults today have high blood pressure or hypertension.1 Globally, around 1.28 billion people are dealing with this condition, and it’s silently damaging their organs and raising their risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because it usually has no symptoms — until it’s already caused irreversible damage. Left untreated, high blood pressure thickens your arteries, weakens your heart, and shaves years off your life. What Do Your Blood Pressure Readings Mean? Your blood vessels…

The CDC has lost thousands of workers since January. At a conference celebrating the work of the agency’s “disease detectives,” current and former staff grappled with uncertainty about the future. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Thousands of workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have left their jobs since January as part of the Trump administration’s effort to drastically reduce the government workforce. NPR’s Pien Huang went to visit the CDC in Atlanta to see how it’s handling the shifts of the past few months. (CROSSTALK) PIEN HUANG, BYLINE: Every year, the CDC has a conference to celebrate the work…

Dr. Casey Means (left) stands with journalist Megan Kelly at a confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the secretary of Health and Human Services post at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29. Ben Curtis/AP hide caption toggle caption Ben Curtis/AP President Trump has switched up his pick for U.S. Surgeon General tapping best-selling author and wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means in place of his initial pick, former Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat. Nesheiwat withdrew her nomination following scrutiny over how she had represented her medical credentials. In an announcement on Truth Social, Trump said that…

The amazing support I had for my journey towards motherhood was atypical, and for that, I’m both grateful and wish . I conceived after over four years of battling infertility. If you aren’t familiar with fertility treatments, we’re talking countless hours, thousands of dollars, and many, many heartbreaks. The biggest heartbreak of all was the realization that even though I was incredibly fortunate, my journey to the birth of my twin girls would’ve been drastically different, maybe even impossible if it weren’t for Cisco. I suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which typically complicates one’s ability to conceive. My husband also…

Community Plate seeks to bring people together over shared potluck suppers of classic casseroles. Marsden Shetterly/for NPR hide caption toggle caption Marsden Shetterly/for NPR Back in 2023, Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway, a husband and wife team, had recently published two volumes of the Maine Community Cookbook when they heard that the U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, had declared an epidemic of loneliness. Murthy wrote, “It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.” Loneliness is as risky as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or never exercising, he elaborated. Hathaway and Schatz’s…

According to Cisco’s 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, only 3 percent of organizations in Europe have achieved the ‘Mature’ level of readiness required to effectively withstand today’s cyber threats, as hyperconnectivity and AI introduce new complexities. The European Union has adopted regulatory frameworks that address critical infrastructure security (NIS2) and product security (Cyber Resilience Act, CRA), but progress has been critically held back by inconsistent implementation and irregular roadmaps for compliance. The EU has signaled cybersecurity will be a cornerstone of its regulatory simplification program, which presents a unique opportunity to get this back on track.  AI is revolutionizing security and…

This image shows the logo of WeightWatchers on a mobile phone, and the company’s website, in New York, March 7, 2023. Richard Drew/AP hide caption toggle caption Richard Drew/AP NEW YORK — WeightWatchers said Tuesday it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to eliminate $1.15 billion in debt and focus on its transition into a telehealth services provider. Parent WW International Inc. said it has the support of nearly three-quarters of its debt holders. It expects to emerge from bankruptcy within 45 days, if not sooner. WeightWatchers, which was founded more than 60 years ago, has struggled recently. In…

More than 36,000 processed foods in the U.S. contain Red 40, a synthetic dye made from petroleum. Another 8,000 products include Red 3 — a known carcinogen that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledged causes thyroid tumors in animals over three decades ago.1 Artificial food dyes are linked to a range of health concerns, especially in children. Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 have all been associated with behavioral issues such as hyperactivity, restlessness and attention difficulties. Further, artificial dyes cause measurable neurobehavioral changes in children.2 This matters because millions of families buy foods with…